Life Wirral boss may have spent public cash on family’s companies

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The former CEO of Life Wirral, a school for children with special educational needs, has been accused of using public funds to finance businesses linked to him and his family. Alastair Saverimutto, who was dismissed as a special constable last year after undisclosed debts, is alleged to have diverted money allocated by Wirral Council to other interests including a gym and a coffee shop. The school closed earlier this year following a Panorama investigation into mistreatment of students by staff.

The latest allegations are based on documents seen by Panorama, which suggest public money had been used to fund the gym and coffee shop, though the Council said it had only been aware of money being used for students’ education. The investigation also revealed concerns raised by staff about a lack of funding for the school which led to poor conditions in some areas, with parts of the building in disrepair.

A forensic accountant appointed by the programme to examine the school’s finances said it appeared that Authority funding intended for pupils “had been used to finance a gym and/or coffee business operated by Mr Saverimutto and his family”.

Saverimutto’s other business interests included ASAV Fitness, a gym where SHE (Sports, Health and Education) C.I.C., a community interest company limited by guarantee and owned and run by him, paid rent, as well as receiving fees from Wirral Council for placing pupils at Life School. The gym was opened in 2020 and used by Life Wirral students. It also sold memberships for £50 a month to female customers.

Panorama found that Mr Saverimutto declared himself bankrupt in 1996. It also revealed that SHE, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of Life Schools Ltd, never filed full accounts before being liquidated in August, with both companies owing almost £500,000, and that checks carried out on proprietors failed to examine their financial backgrounds

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